


people can be kind.

by technotraitor



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Foster Care, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-22 14:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30039918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/technotraitor/pseuds/technotraitor
Summary: tommy was a problem child, he never seemed to stay in a house for long, and he never seemed to want to. always destined to cause trouble, betting how long it would take to be kicked out of the next house. he was beginning to think he would never find a permanent home. then phil turned dup, with his two sons, and the type of family tommy had always wanted. he tried not to get attached. wilbur wouldn't let him leave.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit & Ranboo, Tommyinnit & Tubbo, Tommyinnit & Tubbo & Ranboo, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 5
Kudos: 137





	1. new house

**Author's Note:**

> yay, another foster family au, how original. this type of thing has been one many times before, but i wanna take a slightly different approach to the relationships between the characters, and the way he begins to fit into the family. it'll be worth the read, promise :)

nine houses in five months. a new record. normally each house lasted a month, at the minimum, tommy had, instead, speedran entering and leaving those houses. his caseworker wasn’t shocked, welcoming tommy back into the foster center with a laugh and a smile. his last record was five houses in six months - he really sped it up. tommy was glad he never had to see those people again. don’t get me wrong, none of them ever hurt him (physically), but god, did they emotionally fuck him over. trust issues and abandonment issues were on the file of ‘things fucked up about tommy’ as he called it.

he didn’t see why his caseworker (puffy) was even trying anymore. it was obvious tommy was, as all previous homes called him, a problem child. all he did was cause problems. but, on the bright side, he was turning seventeen in a few months, and that means only just over a year until he could get out of this system. it did nothing but fail him.

nine houses in five months. moving onto his tenth. puffy said a man named phil was looking into fostering him, though didn’t give any more details, due to it still being unsure. it was 11pm when puffy entered his dorm, saying the man had agreed to fostering him, and that he needed to pack. his room was reserved for him, due to being just being around the corner from puffy’s office, incase she was needed in an instance. tommy would have preferred to stay in this room (as tiny and shitty as it was) than go to a house he would just end up being removed from. but, he still complied and packed his small amount of belongings. 

puffy helped him stuff his stuff into her car, for the second time that month. tommy was exhausted. he was tired of the constant getting comfortable in a home, just to be kicked out. so, as he got into the car, he made himself a promise - don’t get attached to this family, and find any way he could to get kicked out before he felt an ounce of attachment. he swore himself to keep that promise for this and every next home. 

on the drive there, puffy filled him in on the details of this next home. a guy called phil, he had two other sons he had fostered (from the same center) and then later adopted. apparently the kid named wilbur had been in the same situation as him, being constantly kicked out of homes, but found a permanent place at phil’s. he was the first phil had adopted. techno came second, a kid who, too, dealt with some emotional stuff (puffy wasn’t legally allowed to tell him what), but, again, phil had given him a permanent home. wilbur was 18, techno was 17; wilbur had been a the home for 8 years, techno had been there for 6. phil had a 100% rate on adopting every kid he fostered - he couldn't wait to break that.

the house was nice, he had to admit. two cars out front, too. tommy silently reminded himself it wasn’t permanent. 

puffy led tommy to the front door, where she knocked on the door like you’d knock on a friend’s door. her hand remained to rest on his shoulder, thumb rubbing a circle, as the door opened. the way puffy and the man greeted each other confirmed tommy’s thoughts: they were friends. 

“again, i’m sorry i didn’t give you or the boys much warning time.” puffy released tommy’s shoulder, and he felt the heat rush away, cold swallowing the skin her hand just was. he begged for her to put her hand back. “but when i found out the center was so close to kicking him out, i knew you were our last hope.” she spoke like tommy wasn’t there, and he hated it.

phil (he presumed) just brushed it off, reminding puffy he didn’t mind, at all, and he was always open for taking in more kids. what was this? a fucking refuge center? before tommy could spit out a snarky comment, puffy was crouching to his height.

“any problems, call my office.” she smiled at him, eyes filled with warmth. he wanted to go back with her. she was the only one he could trust. he wanted so sit in the spinny chair in her office again, as she took calls and did paperwork. but she was leaving him, again. “you’ll like it here, promise. try and make a new record, for me?”

shuffling on his feet, tommy forced a nod, waving goodbye to puffy as she walked back to her car. he watched her drive off, chest empty. 

behind him, phil spoke, making him flinch slightly. “alright, tommy, come in, it’s cold out here.” unlike expected, he didn’t force tommy in, just wandered off with the door open. was he that trusting? that tommy wouldn’t just run off.

every cell in his body told him to run, to catch up with puffy’s car and say he couldn’t do this. not again. he couldn’t have false hope implanted in him. against his better judgement, tommy entered the room, shutting the door behind him. the house was warm, the fireplace crackling with a small fire. phil had sat on the couch, where two other boys sat, bickering quietly. the attention switched to him wen he shut the door, and he froze, unsure of how to feel with the three sets of eyes on him.

“tommy,” phil waved him over, smiling as he shuffled over mutely, “these are my other kids: wilbur and techno.” they waved in time with their names, not paying too much attention to the new kid. “i just wanna set the ground rules.” oh god. this is how it starts. ground rules. the path to him being kicked out always starts at the fucking ground rules. each house had them, and everyone could swerve them, except tommy. every tiny thing he did, broke some sort of rule he didn’t even know existed. he didn't hear the rules listed, too busy in his head, trying to stop himself from hyperventilating. 

wilbur was painfully aware of his poster, the way his chest was moving, the dazed look in his eyes. he nudged techno, muttering to his brother about the familiar body language, who agreed. so wilbur cut his dad off. “i think tommy needs time,” he stood abruptly, earning a look from phil, “throwing rules at him this fast isn't helpful. trust us.”

and phil couldn’t help but listen to his word. at the end of the day, wilbur and techno knew more about being a foster kid than phil would ever know.

“want me to show you your room?” wilbur was gentle than tommy, even offering to take his bags. he wasn’t offended when tommy shook his head and clutched his bags tighter. tommy didn’t need to be treated like a child, not by these people he didn’t know.

tommy bit back snarky remarks, taking a deep breath. “please, show me my room.” his first words they’d heard from him, in response to wilbur. he averted his eyes, following wilbur towards the stairs. the carpet was clean, tommy wondered what would happen if he got it dirty. he could try that later. the walk to his room was short, and he appreciated how wilbur didn’t start conversation with him.

“this is your room, mine is beside yours,” he motioned to door that had a sharp, jagged line down the middle, ringing alarm bells in tommy’s head, “that’s the bathroom, techno’s room, and dad’s room.” he finished off the very small tour, by pushing the bedroom door open, revealing a room with a tv, a bed, a closet and a few sets of draws. “it’s not that furnished, but dad will take you shopping for more stuff soon.” he glanced down at tommy, noting how stiff the boy was. “this door has a lock, you can lock it whenever, only person that has a key is phil, but he’ll only use it if it’s an emergency.”

that sent relief into tommy. he was used to people barging in whenever, getting absolutely no privacy. but this was different. his mind flashed back to how puffy explained wilbur and techno had gone through familiar things than, and a strange and unwanted feeling of comfort settled in his chest. he internally scolded himself, reminding himself that he was not going to stay here.

“dinner will be ready in an hour. if you don’t want to come downstairs to eat, dad’ll put it at your door.” when tommy nodded, wilbur smiled softly. “alright, i’ll go now. if you need anything, i’m here.” with that, wilbur left, shutting the door with a click. tommy heard his footsteps descend down the stairs.

he was still for a moment, before he practically dove forward, locking the door with a click. his shoulders slumped, and tommy, for the first time since turning up, felt himself relax. the door was locked. he was safe. he didn’t have to see them. he didn’t have to feel that shitty feeling of comfort again, not at least for the rest of the day. tommy maneuvered through the room, finding places to put his clothes and other belongings. he didn’t have much, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to say anything about that. 

today was sunday, tommy was unsure of if phil would be sending him to school the next day. the school closest to their home as the same one tubbo (his friend from the center) and his adoptive brother went to. he assumed wilbur and techno went to the same one, too, though would be seniors. tommy was a junior. so was tubbo, though his brother was a senior. he wondered if wilbur or techno had ever met ranboo.

“tommy.” phil’s voice from outside his door made him freeze, his head going silent. did they already get upset that he was isolating himself? was he going to be forced outside his room? “i’m just putting your food out here,” phil spoke like he could read tommy’s mind, “leave your plate out here, one of the boys will come get it. i’ve put you in a high school, but i don’t expect you to go tomorrow. the boys will skip with you, if you want, so you can settle in with them.”

tommy didn’t want to move, he didn’t want to breathe.

“we’re working on your schedule here. you take as much time as you want, it’s okay.” phil’s breath stuttered as he thought of something else to say. he’d done this twice. given speeches to a blank door, praying the kid on the other side was listening, but it still wasn’t any easier. “you ever want anything, come to me, if i’m not here, wil or tech will help. we want you to feel at home here.” the silence that follow didn’t upset phil, he was far too used to it. “yeah, uh, just talk to us, mate. we’re all here.” then, he left.

he returned back downstairs, where wilbur and techno were arguing over the salt. he heard the door open upstairs, then close gently. and he smiled. he had hope. he had hope that this family could work out.


	2. attachment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tommy doesn't like the way the house makes his chest feel warm, and the way the people are nice to him. he devises a plan, a three step plan. first step, make the eldest son hate him.

tommy woke up hours later in an unfamiliar bed, with unfamiliar surroundings. he shot up, legs tangled in a plain gray duvet sheet. his heart raced, the blood pumping through his body so fast he could feel it. then he remembered. new house. right. he’d been taken to house ten. leaning back, tommy caught his breath, hand on his chest.

it was early, he could still see nothing but darkness out his window. he retrieved his phone, blinking to try and read the time displayed. 5:17 am. wonderful. tommy always had a habit of waking up way too early when he first got to a new house. puffy told him it was defense mechanisms, his body feeling unsafe sleeping too long when surrounded by people he didn’t know. tommy thought it was just annoying. 

he managed to untangle the sheets, and got out of the bed. the day before was a blur of memories, not making much sense to him. a groan passed by his lips, as tommy realised he probably would not be getting any more sleep that night. grabbing the hoodie he’d thrown onto the floor, he pulled it on over his head, putting his phone into its pocket, and left the room.

the hallway was dark and silent. it was eerie. there was a light coming from under techno’s house (at least he thought it was techno’s), which barely illuminated the hallway. there was no sound from his roo, so tommy assumed he fell asleep with a light on. closing his door behind him, tommy began his creep down the hall. the carpet felt weird under his feet, unfamiliar and unhomely, even. the stairs, too, were unfamiliar, and tommy was unsure of how to descend them without falling. it’s like when you go to a friend’s house for the first time, and they sprint up the stairs, while you slowly ascend, gripping the banister. he had no idea how to walk down the steps.

it was on the final step did he almost fall, holding back a yelp as he missed the step and his foot landed on the carpet of the downstairs food instead. inhaling shakily, tommy balanced himself, squinting his eyes to look through the darkness of the downstairs. kitchen. he wanted a snack. wilbur hadn’t shown him where the kitchen was, but he guessed it was through the door ahead of him. 

the entire house was creepily unfamiliar. to be honest, tommy didn’t even know what street he was on. tommy could be murdered here, and he would have no idea where he died. the only person that would know would be puffy. but tommy was sure these people wouldn’t murder them - they already had been handed multiple chances to do so, and hadn’t. 

the kitchen was dark, he could barely make out the outline of the counters an the fridge. running his hand across the wall, tommy found a set of two light switches, flipping the one closest to him. along the underneath of the cabinets, a few lights flickered on. it was a nice, warm glow. tommy sighed in relief, wandering towards the cabinets. swinging one of them open, he found multiple different snacks. jumping onto the counter, he grabbed a packet of crisps, tearing them open. it was overly loud in the house, and tommy winced, freezing for a second, listening out for footsteps.

nothing. 

he sighed in relief, and began eating. pulling out his phone, he sent a text message to tubbo, though he knew his friend was asleep. he asked tubbo if he, or ranboo, knew wilbur or techno, and if he did, if they were nice. tommy couldn’t help but be suspicious. not that it mattered. he’d be leaving soon anyway. but he didn’t want it to turn out like house eight (the other kids always beat him up if he did one, tiny thing wrong. he was their personal punching bag, and the parents didn’t care). if it was going to be anything like house eight, he’d rather puffy pull him out now, than he getting a bruised rib because he used one of the kids favourite mug.

“tommy?”

he flinched, almost dropping his phone, body curling into himself protectively. his eyes narrowed on the boy stood in the doorway. techno. “hi.” it was his first time ever speaking to the youngest son. 

techno closed the kitchen door behind him, unaware of how tommy shuffled back, posture straightening. “what’re you doing up at five thirty?” he didn’t sound mad, upset, or anything like that, but tommy had learnt not to be too trusting. people were good at hiding their actual emotions: he learnt that in house four. “don’t you have school today?”

“phil said i didn’t have to go.” tommy’s voice was weak, eyes trained on techno as he walked to a cabinet and pulled out a glass. “what’re you doing up at five thirty?”

he huffed a laugh, looking at tommy over his shoulder. “workin,” he shrugged, flicking on the tap, “assignment due today. was too lazy to do it before.” the silence that followed as techno took a sip of the water could only be described as somewhat uncomfortable - for tommy, techno did not seem bothered at all. “so, you gonna answer my question?”

“oh, uh,” tommy fidgeted with his phone, “happens every time i go to a new house. don’t feel safe. puffy said it’s a defence mechanism.” he shrugged, somewhat surprised when techno didn’t laugh at him, and instead hummed and nodded.

“i had something like that, too.” he emptied the rest of the water in the sink, placing the glass upside down on the drying area beside it. “you’re safe here. no one will hurt you. if wilbur tries phil will ground him.” he half-smiled, backing away to the door. “i’ll be in my room if you need anything.” and he left, his footsteps getting quieter as he wandered to the steps.

if wilbur tries. will he try? that sounded far too much like wilbur had hurt someone before. oh god. tommy tried to even his breathing, eyes wide as he stared at the spot techno was just stood. was wilbur going to hurt him? did he hurt techno when he turned up? tommy’s hands shook as he desperately tried to convince himself techno was just telling a bad joke. it reminded him too much of house six. they’d been so nice to him, at first. then came the manipulation and emotional abuse, and the kids taking any chance of hitting him. his throat felt clogged up, chest tight.

he didn’t see how his phone lit up, a text from tubbo.

_‘oh ranboo is rlly close with techno and talks to will a lot. we’ve been to thei house a lot. they’re both rlly rlly nice. will takes a while to open up tho. but u’ll like it there. promise :D’_

stuffing his phone into his pocket, not looking at the message, tommy switched the light off to the kitchen and raced out. unbothered by how loud he was being, tommy ran up the stairs and into his room. after he’d shut and locked the door, he heard a door open, and techno calling his name, asking if he was okay. tommy backed away from the door, tripping on his clothes from the day before.

and he stayed there, chest heaving with gasps for air. until he passed out.

he remained like that until 10pm, when he was awoken by banging on his door. he shot up, chest tight, throat dry and scratchy.

“dad wants us to go out, apparently tubbo is coming. don’t know how you know him, but whatever.” that was wilbur. his mind repeated what techno had said last night, and fear enveloped tommy suddenly. “hurry up. we’re already letting you skip school.” tommy remained still as he walked away.

catching his breath, tommy hurried to change. he didn’t want to upset wilbur. or phil. or techno, even if he was somewhat nice last night. hopping out of his room as he put on his sock, he was directed to the bathroom by phil, who yelled from the dining table for him to do his teeth. in the bathroom, he found an unpackaged toothbrush, and he tore it out.

he could hear tubbo downstairs, as well as ranboo. he hadn’t seen tubbo in seven months, only keeping contact with his friend online. even then, sometimes he went a month with no contact with tubbo, when the house he stayed in didn’t allow him to have a phone. this was the first house that allowed him to see tubbo. he tried to tell himself it was because wilbur and techno knew him, not that he did. he tried to remind himself he wouldn’t stay here.

he got himself ready as fast as he could, and then raced down the stairs.

tubbo looked up from his phone. “tommy!” his face lit up, passing his phone to his brother and getting up.

with a wide grin, tommy stepped towards him and wrapped him in a quick hug. “hi tubbo.” he looked towards phil, who was watching them with a smile. he guessed it was because this was the first time he’d smiled since turning up. “nice to see you, big t.”

“you too! you should have told me you were staying with phil, i could have helped!” he nudged tommy with his elbow, grabbing his wrist and dragging him to the table. 

tommy sat between tubbo and techno. “i didn’t know until yesterday, or i would have told you.” he kicked his legs and looked at phil. “i was told we’re going out?”

phil nodded, taking empty plates from wilbur and techno. “just to the shops, see if you need something.” he offered tommy a smile, glancing to tubbo and ranboo. he motioned to them, and they grinned at tommy. “tubbo texted wilbur and asked about you staying here. he’s coming just so there’s someone there you know.”

he refused to pay attention to the way his heart warmed, a warm feeling of safety feeling his chest. he hated it. he hated that after a day this place already felt somewhat homely. he needed to get out, had to leave before he got attached. he had promised himself. but tubbo, and ranboo. they were here. no other house had done this for him. but he was leaving for him, not for tubbo. he wanted to leave for himself. and so wilbur didn’t take up an opportunity and swing at him. he still hadn’t forgotten what techno said.

“why were you up at five?” wilbur’s voice snapped back his attention. why was he prying? what did it mean to him? “heard you and tech in the kitchen when i went to the bathroom.”

don’t get attached. “none of your business.” good one, tommy. that was original.

wilbur raised a brow, and shared a look with techno, who shrugged. “alright, sorry, just making conversation.” he looked over at tubbo, who was giving tommy a strange look. he tried his best to ignore the way everyone was looking at him. “someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”

“i didn’t ask you to start conversation,” tommy snapped back at the older teen, ignoring the kick tubbo gave his shin, “alright? so fuck off.” he looked up at tubbo, who said his name in a way parents do when they’r scolding their child. he had that look in his eyes. tommy had seen it at the center before, when he got into a fight with a kid, and tubbo was cleaning the cuts on his face. “what? wilbur was being all question-y. you know i don’t like that shit.”

tubbo narrowed his eyes. “and wilbur didn’t. he was trying to be friendly.”

tommy opened his mouth to speak, but wilbur beat him to it. he laughed - the motherfucker had the audacity to laugh. “nah, tubbo it’s fine. i don’t need his approval.” wilbur smiled at tubbo. and it was a perfect smile. it only pissed tommy off more, his hands curling into fists. “doesn’t mean shit to me.” tommy was unsure of he meant tommy as a person or his approval, and he deflated for a moment. 

but he didn’t need wilbur to like him. afterall, getting wilbur to hate him, was getting one step closer to be being kicked out. if wilbur hated him, this stupid house wouldn’t make his hest feel so warm, so he’d want to leave more. all he needed was for wilbur to hate him, and to cause problems. then he could leave.

phil reentered the room, blinking when he noticed the tension. looking over at ranboo, he winced when the teen sighed and shook his head. “alright, boys, lets head off.” 

“i’m gonna stay,” wilbur stood, backing away from the group, “that way you can take the car.” 

“you sure, will?” phil looked at him suspiciously. wilbur always loved family trips, no matter where or how long they were. him backing out last second was out of character. “we can walk.”

wilbur shook his head, grabbing his phone from the table. “nah, i got work to do anyway.” he shrugged it off, looking from person to person. they were all watching him. techno and phil were analysing him, he could tell from their narrowed eyes. he hated it. shifting on the spot, wilbur waved them off. “have fun.”

tommy’s shit-eating grin didn’t go unnoticed, as he cheered for the car and grabbed tubbo by the wrist, pulling him out of his seat. 

the eldest son watched them go with a harsh swallow, giving his dad a smile before the door shut. the house fell silent. he heard the car doors slam, laughing from tubbo being heard. his heart ached in his chest. it felt like the silence was swallowing him alive, the emptiness of the house making goosebumps crawl up his skin.

wilbur was alone.

and he hated it.


End file.
